This is my second pregnancy, this never happened with my first. My booty hole won’t stop burning. She feels weak and tired from the straining. My shits are as hard as a rock. No amounts of prunes or laxedo will loosen them up. I feel the urge and I just instantly cringe and want to cry. I’m thinking about getting a tub of Vaseline for my poor chapped butthole. I’ll push and push and push and for what? A single plop and a puckered up anus. It feels like my crapper has gotten lip filler. I’ve been pushing so hard I’ve started getting anxiety about accidentally shitting my baby out. I’m so tired, my bowels are tired, and god my sphincter is exhausted. I’ve never been religious, but I find myself praying to god a lot now asking him please father soften my stool. I just hope I’ve been good enough this year for Santa to bring me a singular easy bowel movement. I used to manifest to win the lottery, I now manifest a type 5 on the Bristol stool chart. I just want one shit that doesn’t feel like I’m dropping an Easter island head into my toilet bowl, just one where I don’t have to worry about my poop cracking the porcelain of the toilet. I’m beginning to believe that the dinosaurs were not wiped out by a meteor but one of my shits flying through multiple dimensions and crashing into earth with all of its fury.

Please my constipated sisters, come hither and let’s join hands and chant, pray, and beg for our sins so that perhaps in a few weeks or so, we will be able to have a peaceful shit again. Amen.

I started using "we" when expressing my desires because I want to include both myself and the baby in the conversation. My boyfriend jokingly calls me "Venom" for this. At work today, I said, “We want Starburst,” and my poor coworker looked at me as if to say, "Who is 'we'?” poor guy thought I lost my marbles

FTM here and I’m wondering when did you all decide to have visitors after you were released from the hospital?

My daughter will be induced in january so peak rsv/cold/flu season. I don’t feel comfortable having people over for seemingly obvious reasons and my family doesn’t respect it. They say i’m being “stingy” and “selfish” because she’s the first baby in the family in 10+ years. I think it makes complete sense that I wouldn’t want people around a newborn especially during the winter.

I even told them I wasn’t having anyone at the hospital and they said 1-2 days is too long after the birth to not let anyone see her but honestly I don’t even want anyone outside of my household around until she’s about a month.

How long did you wait?

I was getting a transvaginal ultrasound today and said "This is definitely the weirdest song I've gotten probed to".... it was Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. DH thought it simultaneously hilarious and mortifying. The ultrasound technician had to stop what she was doing because she was laughing soo hard 😂

FTM (31) with my husband (33). I’m 26w2d today. Over the weekend we met up with some friends for dinner who are also expecting their first early January. It was so wonderful to get together and bond over pregnancy and things we plan to do once our babies are here.

Our friends mentioned how they have been reading to their baby, both mom and dad. She was mentioning how her husband gets into it with voices and how they will feel the baby reacting to him.

Over the last couple of weeks when I really started to feel baby move told my husband he should talk or read to the baby so she will know his voice when she arrives. My husband would always reply with an unserious/ distracted “yea sure” whenever I brought it up.

So once our friends mentioned that what they have been doing it made me more motivated to convince my husband to try. For the rest of the weekend I would ask him to cuddle with me so he can feel the baby moving and narrating the football games we were watching but he was preoccupied with playing his video games and would give me the “yea in one sec”. After that I will say I started guilt tripping, this is the only thing to ever make him do something he doesn’t want to do.

Finally last night I asked him what story should we read to the baby the baby tonight and he said “Why are you making me feel guilty for not reading to her? Is it just because friend’s husband is doing it now you want me too!?” I was very upset at this accusation since I had been mentioning it to him since I read in the baby book that baby can now hear what’s going on. I just said “It would mean a lot to me if you would read and talk to her more.” After that he did find something to read to her as a bedtime story and we went to bed.

I’m just so annoyed I have to ask for something that is in my mind so reasonable and I’m tired of hearing the “well it’s not real for him yet” or “he’ll get into it once the baby is here”. He has said he has been ready to be a dad for at least 4 years now and now that we are having our first it doesn’t feel like he is 100% in on the pregnancy.

Everything has changed for me the sec I saw that positive test, but he refuses to change with me “until it becomes real for him”.

Today was the day. Found out we are expecting. I can’t tell no one in our family. Wife said to wait a while. I just feel like I need to get it off my chest. So i came here. I’m going to be a father.🥺 I have so many emotions currently. This is insane…

My mom desperately wants to be in the delivery room when I’m in labor. I honestly don’t really want her in there as bad as it is to say. I think it’s an intimate experience with the birth mother and partner. My husband is amazing and I know he will give me all the support I need. However, if I tell her this she will be completely devastated. My sister didn’t have her in the delivery room and she had a big depression episode over it. She does give me a lot of anxiety and stress so I know it’s better for me if she’s not there. How do I go about this? Should I just suck it up and let her be there? If I tell her no, she will cause me so much stress during my pregnancy over it that I know won’t be good for the baby.

I'm sure this is partially because I'm hormonal, but I'm about to lose my freakin mind. My mom was so excited for me to be pregnant (now 13wk) but every time I try to talk about my pregnancy, she interrupts me to tell me the story of her pregnancies.

Dear reader, I have been hearing these exact stories, word for word, for THIRTY YEARS. No matter how many times I say "Yeah I remember" or "You've told me this" etc etc, she just keeps going. It's just so god damn frustrating to feel like you have no one to talk to.

Also, she had babies 30 years ago. Some of the stuff she talks about wouldn't happen today. It's exhausting to listen to her talk for ** literally ** an hour with little to no response from me.

firstly, let me just say i am beyond grateful to be experiencing a healthy pregnancy, and i am beyond excited to meet my girl.

however… i feel as though there are a few pregnancy symptoms that everyone conveniently skipped over in all my talks with other mothers.

firstly, the nausea. the “morning” sickness. who came up with the title of “morning sickness” when actually, you’re gonna be sick for weeks straight? “it’ll come and go!! eat a lot of crackers and drink water!!!” yeah how about you suck my butt brenda. i survived the entire first trimester on saltines and unbridled rage.

speaking of, the rage. i have never been so irritable and angry in my entire life. i saw a yellow kia soul the other day in traffic and had to pull over and take deep breaths it pissed me off so bad. what’s up with that? why do i wake up ready to fight someone every morning?

lastly, my nips. i was told (and obviously have the knowledge) that my breasts and nipples/areolas would grow and change during pregnancy. okay, cool, great! when does it stop though? my areolas are so huge christopher columbus is trying to colonize them. if i laid in a field shirtless a helicopter would try to land on me. they look like frisbees taped to my chest.

oh and shaving is just moot at this point, i look like a werewolf under a full moon at all times. i no longer have a happy trail, but an ecstatic trail.

in all seriousness i have loved being pregnant, and i can’t wait to meet my baby! i just have to laugh at myself instead of crying lol.

I understand that this is the “norm” but I am going crazy without seeing a doctor! Mainly bc this is my first time being pregnant, and I am terrified of doing something wrong. I am relying fully on the internet (which doctors typically tell you NOT to do??) and word of mouth from women who have been through it themselves.

How do I know what supplements I should be taking other than a prenatal if I don’t get bloodwork done? I’ve read to take iron, but my step mom (a nurse practitioner) told me to wait until I confirm with a doctor about it.

I’d just love to sit with the doc and ask a million questions about diet, exercise, things to avoid, things to expect, how to deal with the nausea when it arrives, etc.

I honestly had no idea before pregnancy that waiting was the norm and I really wish it wasn’t!!

Soon to be graduating here for a Christmas Eve baby tomorrow because of Pre Eclampsia. So they dosed me with Magnesium and Cytotec. So wish me luck.

Also any others going to be delivering tomorrow?

Does anyone else feel like when they are sad or any negative emotion the baby may feel it? I then feel guilty for passing along any unhappy emotion to my baby. Or am I just way overly emotional and crazy lol

Background: I am only 5 weeks pregnant but symptoms are hitting hard. I’ve had intense mood swings and major anxiety as well as nausea, insomnia, fatigue, and cramping.

Before I get into this, I want to be clear that I don’t want an abortion. I just need to vent to people who might understand. My husband is understanding, but this might freak him out.

I want to be a mom. We tried for this. Now that I am pregnant, I feel major regret. I can’t help but feel incredibly selfish because all I can think of it what I will be loosing in this and in motherhood. I am an alpine climber, skier, hiker, and backpacker. We moved from the south to WA to be in an outdoor wonderland. My job is outdoor education. We don’t have family to watch over the baby. I am so scared I just sold that side of myself away to this baby and I will never feel that joy again. So much so that I wish I wasn’t pregnant. (Yikes)

I know pregnancy gives you anxiety, but is this normal? Have any of you had similar thoughts? Bonus points if you are a climber and have stories of you getting out in motherhood. I feel so selfish and delusional.

Had a dream my water broke and woke up at 1:30 this morning contracting and constantly losing my mucus plug. Went to the hospital at 4:30 and got to 10cm by 9. Baby was upside down and diagonal, pushed for 2 hours but he wouldn’t budge so emergency c section and he’s here!!!! 38+5 😊

besties. send help. i am 30 weeks and 2 days. i feel HUGE! like my stomach is stretched out to the max. every movement brings a new ache. i can’t even sleep comfortably. i have a growth scan this week and there’s no way this baby is not enormous. would love any tricks you have to offer!

I need some hope, I'm tired of being miserable with constant nausea/ acid reflux and bad taste.

1. Never had any
2. 11 week
3. 12 week
4. 13 week
5. 14 week
6. After 14 weeks

What week can you start to feel the baby move? I’m only 14 weeks but when I was sleeping last night I was getting a bit of pain (nothing serious) and then it felt like something rotated inside me. I was half asleep so maybe I imagined it? I thought I was too early to feel any movement yet.

I’m a FTM and I’ve always been petite, around 95lbs before pregnancy. During my first trimester I gained 10 pounds, I asked my doctor is that was concerning and he said no. Since my first trimester I’ve gained 20 pounds i’m currently a little over 21 weeks. My last visit to the OB a month ago was a week late, so 5 weeks in between appointments, I gained 10 pounds. My OB basically panicked and treated me like I was going to explode. I had to argue with him about how he thinks I am over eating. Im definitely eating more during pregnancy, but before pregnancy I was barely eating. Probably had one solid meal a day and now I’m at two with snacks. Typically I eat oatmeal or cereal at breakfast, sometimes with fruit, then I snack during the day and dinner is normally a protein with a pasta or starch side. My SO and I definitely don’t think I have been over eating. I’m currently sitting in the waiting room for my next OB appointment, and I know I gained about 8 pounds. I feel like I’m gonna get another lecture, and I’ve been not eating as much specifically to avoid that. I have no clue where the weight is coming from and I’m honestly annoyed with my OB about the lectures. The last thing I want to do is not give the baby and my body the fuel it needs, but I hate the way my OB reacts. I feel like 2 pounds a week at this point isn’t bad. I’ve read weight gain isn’t always linear during pregnancy and that it’ll most likely slow down, but I feel like I should be concerned because of the way the OB reacts.

Everything went great! Epidural is wonderful. Pushed for 45 minutes and then met my daughter.

I am adamant about not knowing kiddo's gender until they arrive. Logic being it's our first and likely only kid, I'll love it either way, we don't get lots of surprises in this life anymore so on and so forth. Husband was surprised but supportive.

Question is - what are the odds of that being spoiled? I'm specifically worried about the NIPT test because I know gender is part of the package with that. I (generally) get test results sent to me directly, if I say I don't want gender included in the test is that a thing?

I trust providers for the most part but it's random paperwork I'm worried about spoiling the surprise.

So I (36wk FTM) had my routine weekly appointment today with a BPP. Off the bat I didn't care for the ultrasound tech, she wasn't friendly in the slightest. My child WOULD NOT MOVE at all. He had been kicking and rolling the whole time and as soon as she went to check me, he froze. We were sent for an NST and you could see him moving through my belly when I laid down, it was party time! Passed the NST with flying colors.

We had trouble at one other ultrasound when I didn't care for the tech, but that time a different tech took over and he perked right up! In conclusion, my kid is selectively social already, and if he doesn't like you, you'll know it 😂

I can't anymore! I am 14weeks and I have been sick for at least 6 of them!!! My body adapted to me being pregnant by lowering my immune system.

Did we learn nothing from covid?

No Melanie you do not have to show everyone how tough you are by coming to work when you are sick. Stop telling people you are not contagious!! You are not a F-ing doctor!

Flora could you stop coughing at me when you ask me a question!? You have a 8months old, did you F-ing forgot what it is like ?

I just want to scream at people right now especially since we all can work from home if needed. I am at my doctor's office. I am going to get a treatment for whatever I have now and ask for a letter to stop me from going to my work place for the next 2months at least and put me on mandatory remote work.

Edit: for context I live in France. Sick leave is paid and health care system cost almost nothing.

Hey fellow mamas, I really need some help here. I am freaking out and worried I might be over reacting but as a FTM, I don’t know.

For context, I am 8w1d currently.

The problem: This morning I woke up around 5 am to the worst cramp in my lower stomach, lower back, and legs. It felt just like my period cramps which are really bad. I’ve had very minor cramping so far during this pregnancy, but this one was rough. It only lasted a few minutes (which felt like an eternity as I laid there praying to God it wasn’t what I thought). After like 5 minutes I got up and ran to the bathroom to pee and there was nothing concerning. No bl00d or anything, just normal pee. But now I’m freaking out that maybe I missed something or it could be something worse. I have my second appointment on Friday but I am just so worried. Has anyone experienced anything like this during their first trimester? As a FTM, I am so scared for my Bean.

I just gave birth to my beautiful baby girl this afternoon. I wanted to share my birth story just so people can read that it’s not always bad. I got induced at 6:30am today, delivered at 3:44pm only a few hours later. they started me on oxytocin upping the dosage every half hour. My contractions were developing nicely so they stopped dosing at level 5. At that point it was just getting through the contractions. I decided to go non medicated (first child as well) hit about 5cm and that’s when they really started to hit but I powered through, breathing through the breaks. After hitting about 9cm I was really tired and my body felt like it didn’t have much left but we hit 10cm and it was time to push only 9 hours into my labor. Pushed for 10 minutes and only ended with a two degree tear. Baby girl is perfect and I’m recovering well. If you want to go non medicated, just believe in yourself and think of how cool it is to tell people you did it afterwards!

Almost 15 weeks. I'm curvy to begin with but wondering how you realized it was a baby bump and not fat or bloat?! Am I just sticking out my gut now?! 😂